Cure for the Common Hero: SoulSearching
by V2
Summary: The gang from The Remedy heads out to Independence Port for what is supposed to be a routine shakedown at a warehouse. Wacky antics and explosiveness ensues. Features Moriyaku, the Sanguine Horror, Scimitar, JunkintheTrunk, and Souls.
1. Chapter One

It was admittedly difficult to see the young Controller, despite the sunset that sent red-gold rays over the wharf at Independence Port. She'd been there for a good half hour, watching the dock master pay off several of the Tsoo just for the knowledge that he wouldn't have his shipment "disappear" in the middle of the night.

A soft hum preceded the pop of displaced air, as Scimitar abruptly appeared next to her. Mori raised an eyebrow and gave him a wry smile as he settled next to her. "Didn't scare you?

She shook her head. "Nah. I'm getting better about being so damn jumpy. Cut back on the coffee and all." One hand ran through her ponytail as she watched a ferry make its way down the river. "How'd work go today?"

Reiki let out a long sigh as he stretched out on the corrugated metal roof, his own form a hazy outline next to Miranda. "Another fine day at DTP Innovations," he quipped. "I think the owner turned down another offer for a Crey Industries buyout. Third time this month."

She considered this. "Old Man Proctor knows he's got a few heroes on his payroll?" Her own boss was a nosy little Puerto Rican woman who treated her like a favorite niece and even Rita didn't know abut Miranda's secret life. It was probably better that way, she figured. People always got edgy around those of the psychic persuasion.

The healer snorted at her comment. "Hardy's a _mutant_, remember?" It's sort of had to miss a seven foot tall systems administrator." His grin was nearly transparent by virtue of his own Stealth. "Boss worries if we come in with a few scratches, that's all. I get dirty looks."

"Serves you right." She glanced up as a shadow passed over their heads, a heavily armored figure landing with a thud on the dirt below. Giving a slight noise of disgust, Miranda shimmered out of her Stealth spell and waved to Rufus. "Up here, Hardy."

Surprised, he stepped back before alighting on the roof next to them. Beneath the helmet, the voice of the Sanguine Horror sounded canned and far away. "How long have you been here?"

"A while." She made an obvious face at his choice of attire. "No more tank tops?"

He shook his head. "Polymers and adantium shielding. It's far more conducive to heading out in patrol than say, that." An armored hand gestured to her jeans and t-shirt, the accompanying tone disapproving. "Are you going out in your work clothes?"

The Controller shrugged. "I'll stay warmer."

"But the spandex-spiderweb getup was just so… heroesque," Reiki quipped. "It's like you're breaking tradition or something."

Miranda rolled her eyes before getting up, brushing dirt from her backside. "Some of us don't feel the need to always do the Slinky Purple Panties of Justice," she remarked before porting to the ground. "It's a matter of personal preference."

Reiki flashed a white smile at her before joining the other two on the ground. "Well, I preferred the other outfit, just for the record. Sang here probably did-" He stopped midsentence as a thin line of smoke and flame shot behind Miranda. "What was that?"

A low chuckle came from behind Sang's helmet. "New guy. Met him out in Brickstown just behind the Ziggaraut. He's pretty handy with a lighter." As the Tanker spoke, another line of smoke rose from the blacktop, the smell of burnt tar prompting Miranda to wrinkle her nose. "Fast, huh?'

Scimitar's mouth curved into an odd sort of grin, the expression caught between awe and distrust. Arms folded across his chest. "Yeah, fast. But is he any good?"

"Yeah, I'm not bad." The Blaster had crept up behind Miranda, and he snickered as she jumped. His appearance had her thinking of soot and charred wood, dark and ashen. "Quiet, too."

"Obviously," she answered, annoyed. Eyeing the newcomer warily, she plucked a small two-way from her pocket. Their other teammate was, as usual, late. "Junk? You on the other side of the tunnel yet? Daylight's fading."

The radio crackled before a familiar voice came back. "Don't get your purple panties in a bunch, Mori. I'm getting there."

"I'm not wearing any to bunch up," she shot back playfully. "You in range yet?'

"Yeah, go for it." The radio went out.

The other three were silent, and Miranda caught the new guy staring at her pants. "Can I help you? For the love of… I was –kidding-." A thumb beneath the waistband of her jeans hooked the fabric of a perfectly innocuous pink thong. "You're all sick," she declared, hands over the pavement as she cast the Recall.

"Hardy's all disappointed now," the Defender chuckled. "You just ruined all of his dirty fantasies."

"You wish."

"Fine. You just ruined all of my dirty fantasies."

As Junk appeared in front of them, Miranda coolly chose to ignore Reiki's remark and opened the door to the warehouse. _Time to take down a Tsoo smuggling ring_. "Souls, huh?" She nodded at the new guy and tried an easygoing and flirtatious smile. "What does your girlfriend call you?"

"Haven't heard from her lately." From the Blaster's tone, it appeared to be a sore subject, and the Controller decided to let the entire business of names drop for now. She watched him slip inside, thin line of fire an easy beacon for the others.

Reiki patter her on the head as he went inside. "Not everyone wants to be known by their real name, Moriyaku. Give it a rest, huh?"

She scowled and fixed the bandana on her head before following him in. "I was just trying to be friendly, that's all." Her figure shimmered to transparent as she slipped inside, the dock once again quiet.


	2. Chapter Two

The group gathered in the lobby of the warehouse, fluorescent light inconstant next to a long-empty soda machine. Upon entering, the new Blaster had taken off around the corner. The trio of Tsoo standing guard took little notice of the slight rush of air as Souls raced past. Junk hovered in the entryway above them, counting the groups situated down the corridor.

"I hate sorcerers," muttered the Blaster from above. "Crazy old men, give you the creeps by getting into your head so you can't move…" He glanced down at Mori, who had fixed him with a Look and 'hmphed' loudly. "What? What did I say?"

Before she could answer, Sang put up a hand. One of the guards had gotten a little too close for comfort and had begun to squint into the darkness. The tanker nodded once, giving the go-ahead to Junk. One shot from above sent the guard sprawling, Mori racing up to fasten the ziptie about his wrists and activate the transport disk. As the unconscious figure faded out in a slow teleport, Souls jogged up to the group, expression grim.

"Well, what's it look like?" Junk landed softly on the ground, arms folded across his chest. "We're gonna be able to hit the bar after this?"

He shook his head, clearly ignoring the last comment. "There's some kind of meeting going on. Suits and Tsoo all over the place." He ground out a smoldering cinder with his boot, the smoky line behind him fading.

"Suits? You mean the Family's here?" Scimitar frowned as the new guy nodded his head once. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Who says it has to make sense?" Junk offered a wide grin to the other four. "We go in, round 'em up, cuff 'em, port 'em, and then Vince lines us up for shots before we all go home. Easy as that."

Miranda refrained from punching him, focusing on Souls instead. "Meeting, as in negotiating? They hate each other, though. You're sure it was the Family?"

"Yeah." Tired of the chatter, Souls turned to Sang. "She any good with the sorcerers?" He jerked a thumb at Mori, who gritted her teeth and scowled.

The Tanker nodded, his expression unreadable behind the mask. "Mori, can you get closer to that first group?"

"Um, yes?" Souls' comment had prompted an air of sarcasm that she punctuated by rolling her eyes. "Like you have to ask, Hardy. For the love of…" Her mumbling trailed off as she softly ported herself to the top of some scaffolding.

Scim watched her disappear before turning to the group. "Stay close, all right? I can't help if you take off around corners." Adjusting his dark glasses, he glanced back at Junk. "So don't get cocky."

"Me, cocky?"

Sang ignored them, waited for each of the Tsoo guards to nod off around the crates at the end of the hallway. As the last one gently slumped forward, he motioned to the others. An armored hand waved them ahead to the first few that the Controller hds put to sleep. A few swift punches coupled with a few bursts left most of them unconscious, with one needing a bit more convincing.

"Is it wrong to say that part of me enjoys this?" Junk decided to forgo his usual methods and simply punched the last guard squarely in his solar plexus. The man crumpled to the floor, his expression dazed as Mori secured his wrists and stuck a transmitter on his belt. "Because I do."

"And it shows," the Defender replied, casting a healing aura for good measure. "Ready for the next round?"

Sang nodded, pointing to the group congregating at a few makeshift tables outside an office. "Those next. We've got to lure them out of there so they don't alert anyone." He turned back to the group. "I don't see any sorcerers back there, but that doesn't mean-"

A burst of red-hot flame shot between Sang and Junk, catching a guard near the door and prompting the other to get up. The door to the office flew open, two figures wearing the ornamental robes of Tsoo sorcerers behind several personal bodyguards. Souls ran ahead, smoke and flame erupting from his fingertips as he began a one-person assault.

Sang gritted his teeth and charged forward. Cover blown, the best they could manage would be a quick melee and hasty cleanup. The mace whirled about his head before crashing to the ground, the impact and resulting shockwave knocking several of the guards down. A flurry of caltrops whistled through the air, the tiny spikes doing little damage to his armor but presenting trouble for the two nearby Blasters. Junk leapt into the air, even with the rafters as he sent volley after volley of energy into the tight ring of bodyguards the kept the sorcerers from harm.

Beneath him, Scimitar stumbled back on unsteady legs. Eyes rolled back in his head and Mori looked up just in time to see him crash into an untidy stack of empty crates. She dodged a rather nasty shiruken, jumping to the ground next to the Defender who fell unconscious from a bit of Tsoo sorcery.

"Reiki? Aw, damn," she swore. Snatching a small medlink device from her pocket, she pressed the edge of it to his jaw. A high pitched hum let her know it was working, and Scimitar shook himself awake seconds later.

"Thanks," he offered, getting to his feet. "Didn't see that one." The healing aura rose up around them, Mori's Transfusion spells aiding the others in the middle of the skirmish. A series of alternating fire and ice explosions wore down the ring of protection about the sorcerers. As steam rose from the railing, the Controller managed eye contact with one of the robed figures. Lips formed soundless incantations, and Mori smiled in triumph as one doubled over in the throes of a migraine. The other one turned, distracted by his comrade's sudden affliction. In an instant, he fell against the outside window of the office. Fingers outstretched, she repeated the spell in a soft whisper. Ice-white energy pulsed between them for a split second before radiating outwards in a brilliant display, the blast sending both to the ground.

"Nice." Junk appraised as he surveyed the damage. "For something totally unexpected, of course."

"Yeah," grunted Sang, the displeasure in his voice unmistakable. He shouldered the mace and checked around the corner. Fingers tightened about the handle in frustration. The floor and walls of the office were smoky-black, furniture caked with soot. Souls was slumped over the table, the tone of the Paragon medical alert clear and calm.

"Chiron emergency services, are you in need of assistance? Failure to reply in forty seconds will result in immediate transport," it chirped pleasantly. The Tanker punched the table ferociously, the wood splitting under the force.

Mori winced behind him at the noise, concern immediately turning to disgust. "Oh, _great_. Gosh, I wonder how this happened," she spat, ducking under her mentor's arm. "Serves him right."


End file.
